2018 Infiniti QX50 teased again, 200kW turbo engine onboard
All-new SUV to debut in Los Angeles on November 28
The 2018 Infiniti QX50 has been teased again, ahead of its reveal at the Los Angeles motor show later this month, where the company's new turbo 2.0-litre engine will also debut.
Scheduled for a November 28 unveiling, the second-generation QX50 appears to bear a strong resemblance to the smaller QX30 crossover – at least, based on the shadowy teaser image released this week.
It's the second time Nissan's luxury arm has previewed its upcoming model, after releasing a brush-stroke silhouette a fortnight ago (below).
The QX50 is set to be a big car for Infiniti, too, with the company claiming the new crossover will feature "world-first technologies, stand-out design and class-leading interior space".
One of those world-first technologies will be the new 'VC-T' variable-compression 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine, which promises significant gains in power and efficiency.
The version to be used in the QX50 produces a meaty 200kW of power and 390Nm of torque, comparable outputs to the current 242kW/361Nm 3.7-litre V6 - though is said to improve fuel economy by 27 per cent.
Shinichi Kiga, Nissan's head powertrain engineer, recently told industry journal Automotive News that the VC-T-equipped QX50 should sprint from 0-60mph (0-96km/h) almost one second faster than its four-cylinder rivals.
The new engine will be mated exclusively to a continuously-variable transmission.
In terms of design, expect the new SUV to look very similar to the QX50 concept (above, below) previewing it at this year's Detroit motor show.
While the first-generation car was never offered in Australia, Infiniti's local arm told CarAdvice in April that the new model is high on the wishlist for our market, given the strong preference for SUVs.
"There’s one fundamental product we’d like, a mid-sized SUV, and it’s definitely under consideration for Australia," said Bernard Michel, product planning manager for Infiniti Cars Australia, "but, timing, we don’t know."
Should it make it Down Under, the QX50 will battle it out with popular mid-size premium crossovers like the Land Rover Discovery Sport, Mercedes-Benz GLC, Audi Q5 and BMW X3.
Stay tuned to CarAdvice for our coverage of the Los Angeles motor show.
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